Boar's Head and Yuletide Log Festival celebrates 31st year this weekend

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival, now in its 31st year, will have three performances on Saturday at First Christian Church.

CORPUS CHRISTI - The costumes in which Laura Dow once frolicked now adorn her children and the roles her mother and aunt once played now go to her, but the spirit of the Boar's Head and Yule Festival remains the same, even after 31 years in Corpus Christi.

When the festival opens at 3 p.m. Saturday, the first of three shows at First Christian Church, Dow and her husband will be a Lord and a Lady, their older son will be a Yule log sprite and their younger son will be an angel.

"There are some rambunctious little boys wearing ironic angel wings," Dow said with a laugh.

Her daughter was the baby Jesus last year, but is in between parts this year, said Dow, who now lives in San Antonio. But what's important is the tradition that keeps people coming back to the church every year.

The original festival, presented at Oxford University in 1340, recounts the tale of a student charged by a raging boar. Thinking quickly, the young man threw his book of Aristotle's writings into the animal's throat, symbolizing the triumph of reason over brute force.

The festival marks the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas, when the three kings, also called Magi or wise men, brought gifts to baby Jesus.

The performances feature songs and stories from past Christmas traditions.

But the best tradition is the faces of old friends who come home.

"You don't realize how many people do come year after year," she said.

One of those is Corpus Christi ISD Superintendent Scott Elliff, who has performed in past festivals and remained in the audience when he stepped out of the lights five years ago. It's more than the beautiful costumes and great entertainment that keeps Elliff coming back.

"I think it's one of those things that helps you maintain the Christmas Spirit even though Christmas has passed," he said.

Dow will participate in her 30th festival this year, she started when she was 2 and missed only the first one. The congregation has kept the festival alive and it's lost none of its passion and beauty through the years. There's also no shortage of good memories for cast members.

"I still remember certain little angels running wild across the stage when they weren't supposed to," she said.